biosecurity built on science
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PBCRC 5055 Evaluating Unmanned Aerial Systems for Deployment in Plant Biosecurity Dr Felipe Gonzalez (Project Leader-QUT/ARCAA), Aaron McFayden (QUT), Dr David Eagling (PBCRC), Prof Duncan Campbell (QUT)
Senior Lecturer QUT Aerospace Engineering
biosecurity built on science
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QUT/ARCAA: UAVs Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring
Summary
QUT and ARCAA undertakes fundamental research into
unmanned aerial vehicles and apply these technologies to
agriculture and environmental monitoring.
The strength of our research is indicated by many highly
influential, cited papers and link with external partners such as
Boeing , Ergon Energy and Insitu Pacific..
We have developed specialist UAVs and sensors for
agriculture and environmental monitoring.
Largest UAV group in Australia.
biosecurity built on science
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QUT/ARCAA capability: UAVs Agriculture and Environmental
Monitoring The UAVs include:
• Long-duration petrol-powered fixed-wing aircraft
• Novel energy-efficien solar powered fixed-wing aircraft
• Multi-rotor vertical takeoff and landing, electric powered
With specialist payloads and sensors include:
Spore trap which can detect and monitor spores of plant pathogens, for
plant bio-security applications. The sampling system has the ability to
spatially monitor fungal spores, and protocols to interpret their spatial
distribution. In collaboration with the Plant Bio-security CRC (Dr
Gonzalez)
Multispectral cameras and advanced image processing algorithms to
assist scientists in determining nitrogen deficient areas and areas of
potential bio-security threat. In collaboration with the Plant Bio-security
CRC (Dr Gonzalez)
Gas sensing, with onboard intelligent software that can track the
boundaries of gas plumes and identify their source (Dr Gonzalez)
biosecurity built on science
Problem being addressed
Early and cost effective detection and monitoring of harmful plant pest
or disease incursions is time consuming but extremely important for
plant biosecurity.
Remote sensing with Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) could provide
economical and technical solutions to the problem.
This project explored the feasibility (e.g. technical, economic and
legal) of deploying UAV’s in a plant biosecurity context.
A number of features with regard to plant biosecurity are consistent
with a favourable environment for UAV’s.
These include Australia’s expansive land mass and low population
density, particularly in northern Australia.
This project explored where UAV’s could add value in the plant
biosecurity continuum.
biosecurity built on science
Who will use research?
Growers
Agricultural consultants
Federal agencies
Peers
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
A report providing qualitative evaluation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and on-board
sensor technology for use in plant bio-security in the Australian context was developed
The focus was to identify how and under what circumstances UAS may be useful for plant
biosecurity.
The report first identifies some high priority threats to Australian biosecurity, namely those
affecting broad acre cereal crops such as wheat, barley and oats.
The advantages and opportunities of dynamic airborne mobile sensing platforms for these tasks
over traditional static sensing stations is highlighted.
They include the ability to operate in remote or rural locations for long hours at lower altitudes
with little to no environmental impact.
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Subclass A B C D
Weight (kg) <2 2-7 7-20 >20
Speed (knots) 15 40 - -
Approval
Requirements
M: Mandatory
P: Potential
Online Approval
No additional
documentation
Online Approval
Ops Manual
Maintenance Manual
Airworthiness
Operational Risk
Assessment
Ops Manual
Maintenance Manual
Airworthiness
Operational Risk
Assessment
Ops Manual
Maintenance Manual
Flight Manual
Airworthiness
Operational Risk
Assessment
Table 1: Expected UAS Classes
It is expected that subclass A and B UAS Table 1: Expected UAS Classes Table 1: Expected UAS Classes Table 1: Expected UAS Classes
Expected UAS Classes
• UAV classes, performance characteristics and regulatory issues that govern their access to
the national airspace are discussed in the report.
• This results in a series of important considerations when selecting or designing UAS to be
used in various biosecurity applications.
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Item Approximate Cost (AUD)
UAV controllers approval/
Unmanned pilot's licence)
160
UOC approval process (worst
case scenario)
7000 - 8000
Renewals at the anniversary
points, not including additional
aircraft or information.
(Initial licences for 1 year. The
indication is then to have 3
yearly renewals, but this has yet
to be confirmed)
480
Approximate costs for obtaining unmanned operators certificate
(UUOC) not including items such as theory exams, platform
purchase and insurance. Modified from [49].
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
UAS Platform design/selection
considerations
(Regulatory) Payload Sensor
Placement
Endurance Launch/
Recovery
Requirement
Regulatory Operator
Fixed Wing
(A,B,C)
Limited Flexible Crop-
District
Low-Mod Low Amateur/ Owner-Operator
Fixed Wing
(D,>150)
Flexible Flexible Crop-
Region
Mod-High Mod-High Professional, Outsourced
Rotary Wing
(A,B,C)
Limited Limited Plant-Crop Low Low Amateur/ Owner-Operator
Rotary Wing
(D,>150)
Flexible Limited Plant-Crop Low Mod-High Professional, Outsourced
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
By combining mature UAS technology and advanced sensing systems, important
disease and pest specific in-field data can be collected in novel ways.
Current and emerging sensor technology that can be operated on-board aerial
platforms, given their size, weight and power limitations, is discussed.
They can provide information on pre and post infection crop status to help
discriminate healthy and unhealthy crop regions, or to prevent an outbreak or
spread of potential threats.
Large and diverse in-field data sets would then be obtained which will help
improve the accuracy of pest/disease discrimination.
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Band
Wavelength
(nm)
Reflectance:
Healthy
Reflectance
– Unhealthy
Application
Visual (VIS) 400-700 Low High Measuring green leaf
content, discoloration
Near-infrared
(NIR)
700-1200 High Low Defoliation, growth
rate, biomass
estimation
Short-wave-
infrared (SWIR)
1200-2400 Low High Water content,
Root/Stem disease
Medium-wave-
infrared
3000-5000 NA NA NA
Long-wave-
infrared (LWIR)
7500-9500 NA NA NA
Thermal-infrared
(TIR) (VLWIR)
8000-14000 Low High Transpiration rate
change, Root/Stem
disease, Foliar
Pathogens, Leaf
Wetness
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
The report includes a technology survey which can be used
as a reference to currently demonstrated or proposed
sensing solutions in plant biosecurity.
It may be used to help match the appropriate sensor and
platform configuration to a specific biosecurity task.
In many instances the sensors and platforms used could be
used for other crops, pests and growing regions or climates
than stated.
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Fixed Wing Operator Auto Max
Dim.
Payload
(kg)
Cruise
Speed
Endurance Sensor Coverage Unit
Cost
Silvertone:
Flamingo
ARCAA/QUT
(AUS)
Semi 4.0m 10 65-
140km
/h
600min ST/EO Crop,
District,
Regional
30,000
CyberEye II ARCAA/QUT
(AUS)
Full 4.5m 20 90-
100km
/h
600min EO/MS/
HS/ST
Crop,
District,
Regional
>100,
000
Sensefly:
Swinglet
ARCAA/QUT
(AUS)
Full 0.8 NA 36km/
h
30min EO Plant, Crop 12,000
CropCam SkyView
Solutions
(AUS)
Semi 2.44m NA 60km/
h
55min EO Crop 10,000
MLB BAT 3/4
USDA/NMU
(USA)
Full 1.8m 9.0 75-130km
/h
360min EO/MS Crop, District
50,000-
150,00
0
UAV Factory:
Penguin B
UTAS
(AUS)
Semi 3.3m 8-10 79km/h
1200min HS/EO Crop, District,
Regional
13,000-
60,000
UAVs
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Rotary
Wing
Align:
T-REX 600E
FHNW
(SUI)
▲ 2011
No 1.34
m
7.0 - <30min HS Plant,
Crop
1,200
Vario:
XLV/XLC
AU/UC
(DEN)
▲ 2010
NA 1.63-
1.78
m
7 - 30min EO/MS Plant,
Crop
2,500
Microdrone
:
Md4-1000
FGI/MTT/
VTT
(FIN)
▲ 2012
NA <2m 1.0 - 88min EO/MS/
NIR
Plant,
Crop
>54,000
Other
MLB V-Bat
(Hybrid
rotary/fixe
d)
MLB
(USA)
▼ Full 2.6m 2.2 0-167
km/h
600min EO/MS Plant,
Crop,
District,
Regional
>100,00
0
Custom
Parasails
UE
(ENG)
Semi 1.75 NA NA 74km/h NA MS Crop,
District
NA
UAVs
biosecurity built on science
Results so far
Traps Appearance Data Rate SpecRes.
(nm)
Pixel Res. FOV (deg) Max Dim
(m)
Weight
(kg)
Power (W) Pest/Disease Unit Cost
Multi-
Spectral
Insect/Disease
Damage
Biomass Est.
Nutrient
Deficient
Tetracam:
mini-MCA
4-12
Cameras:
450-1050nm
VAR 4-12 Bands 1280x1024 VAR 0.155 0.6-1.3 NA Aphid
Damage, Water Stress:
Wheat, Cotton
15,000
Visual
Imaging
Insect/Disease
Damage
Mapping
Quarantine
Pentax
Optio Line
1 Camera 30fps RGB +
Filter
5-12 MP VAR <0.1m <0.2kg NA Pest Damage:
Macadamia Crops
<500
PointGrey:
Spherical
6 Cameras 10-30fps RGB 4-30MP 360 0.197 1.2-3.0kg 11 -13W NA 10,000-
30,000
Survey of sensor technology for UAS plant
biosecurity
Sensors Sensors
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Recommendations:
• A series of key points and recommendations for further research and
development are derived throughout the report
• They have been derived by considering the potential benefits UAS could
provide to the broader plant biosecurity community (farmers, commercial
growers, government etc.) to help protect Australia’s local agricultural
investments.
• Operations, aerial platforms, sensors and data
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Operations
A2. Platform design/ choice should be primarily dictated by application requirements
and not as a result of an attempt to circumvent strict regulation. As such, experience and
familiarisation with the approval process should be sought, acquired and applied in
conjunction to designing any UAS for plant biosecurity.
A3. Regulatory requirements should be taken into consideration when designing a
platform configuration for plant biosecurity applications. However, they should not be
considered a deterrent from using UAS.
A4. For rapid adoption of UAS technology in biosecurity, small UAS under 2kg operating
under 400’ within visual line of sight (VLOS) and away from populous areas (rural,
remote and farm-based operations) should be employed.
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Aerial Platform
B1. Larger UAS should be used when flexibility and re-configurability is required. A
range of sensors for various biosecurity tasks may be needed and/or new applications
may emerge. They will be useful for broad area coverage and long endurance
operations.
B2. For frequent and/or long-term operations (high temporal resolution), multiple
platforms of the same type (fleet of UAS) and/or medium to high end products should
be acquired.
B4. Fixed wing platforms are recommended when broad area (distinct, regional)
coverage. Rotary wing aircraft are recommended for localised, close proximity
coverage (plant, crop, ports)
B5. Rotary wing aircraft are recommended for high spatial resolution. Fixed wing
platforms are recommended when decreased spatial resolution is acceptable.
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Sensors
C2. Imaging: Research aimed at improving imaging sensor quality alone
should not be undertaken in the plant biosecurity framework.
C3. Hyperspectral Imaging: Research should be directed at acquiring pest
specific in-field data sets throughout the growing season.
C4. Multispectral Imaging: Research should be directed at developing
interchangeable filters for in-field testing of multiple pests or
diseases of different crops. Additionally, pest specific in-field data
sets should be acquired throughout the growing season.
Table 5: Reflectance of healthy and unhealthy crops over various spectral bands and possible applications
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Sensors
C5. Visual Imaging: Research should be directed toward using
visual imagery as a complimentary sensor to improve pest
detection, localisation and mapping as well as augment UAS
guidance and control.
C7. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): Research should be
directed toward estimating the feasibility of using VOC sensors
onboard UAS (see A1).
C9. Sensor fusion: Research should be directed at identifying how
novel systems using multiple sensors (sensor fusion) can be used
specifically for plant biosecurity.
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Flight Control, Guidance & Coordination
D1. Research should be directed at dynamic re-configurable control and guidance,
using sampled data or otherwise.
D3. Research should be directed toward advanced control and guidance to improve
image rectification and coverage whilst ensuring effective sampling can be achieved
each flight. This may require additional onboard sensors.
D4. Research should be direct toward effective mission/path planning targeted at
ensuring unbiased sampling.
biosecurity built on science
Challenges and issues arising from this research
Data Processing & Transmission
E2. Research should be directed toward parallelization of image processing and control tasks
using appropriate hardware such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) and Graphical
Processing Units (GPU).
E3. Research should focus on using UAS based data sets to help quantify the sensing and
platform requirements specific to robust detection, localisation and discrimination of
biosecurity threats.
Example: Certain invertebrates may only be accurately identified using adequate image sensor
resolution and robust classification schemes. The optimal parameters of such a classification
scheme will differ for images taken s taken on different crop seasons
Figure 16: Example information sharing and data flow using UAS technology for
plant biosecurity
biosecurity built on science
Prospects for success
• Excellent however recommendation above are suggested
• International collaboration will be a key for success
Figure 16: Example information sharing and data flow using UAS technology for
plant biosecurity